Iryana blinked, mouth parting.
“Does that sound familiar to you?”
She jerked back, eyes finding his.
His voice softened. “They may not understand you, but I do.”
“We may have both been broken,” she whispered, eyes stinging. “But I wasn’t put back together like you.”
Her pieces had no purpose.
“I will help you, like my father helped me.”
She could barely breathe. Could he truly fix her? Was that even possible? He was a murderer, a liar. But she was lying, too.
“You did so well, Iryana.” He squeezed her shoulder.
Something warmed inside her, but then the memory of him kneeling in blood came back.
Karvek was trying to win her trust, just like she was trying to win his. And if she hadn’t seen how he’d really killed Pavoshol, he might have been successful. It didn’t matter, though.
Her duty was to her family, not to Karvek. And he had lied to her. She couldn’t trust him, as much as she desperately wanted to. No matter how much she wanted to be whole again.
“I’m glad I could help.”
She squared her shoulders. Despite everything that had happened, she was closer to Karvek letting her into the brigade. Closer to the metal well. Shehadto consider it a success.
Then she realized a potential issue.
“Will you lead from Midmarket?” she asked, fear suddenly claiming her. If he wanted her to follow, she’d be too far from the Dovaki post to meet with her sister.
“No, my father led from Myura River and so will I. I have already promoted one of my captains to major of Midmarket. The previous major refused to submit to my rule and tried to stop my challenge, so he unfortunately had to be killed.”
She nodded, relief blending into more horror.
“This is how I protect my people. Which includes you now.”
She hoped that was true.
“Are you ready to go home, Iryana?”
“Yes, General.”
Chapter Nineteen
The morning mists still clung to the roads, the chill seeping right through her cloak, as Iryana tried to look unaffected. She stood on the wood-bricked road outside the grand estate of Myura River Fort, her back to one of the curling fences that lined one side of the street, boxing in the large townhouses that the most favored of the regiment lived in.
Every inhabitant had bled into the streets as they’d ridden in, dozens of soldiers marching into the fort, shouting for everyone to gather.
She was exhausted; the ride back had somehow been even harder. Everything about her ached, though she tried to hide it.
With slow, leisurely strides, Karvek climbed the steps to the estate and turned to take the crowd in. His new cloak was lined with sable that matched the cap on his head, far finer than anything Iryana had seen him wear. He wore it as if he were born to it.
Iryana found Vaneshta and the rest of their team watching, faces scrunched with confusion as they took in the crowd. Iryana couldn’t imagine what they were expecting.
Vaneshta was watching the armored men and women in the back, soldiers that had joined their march back to Myura River Fort at some point, as if manifesting from the trees. These new soldiers watched the rest of them with sneers and wicked grins. Her time with them so far had not been enjoyable. They were what she had originally imagined all the 18th’s soldiers would be like: cruel and vicious.
Iryana tried to ignore them.
